COMMUNITY leaders are making plans for the town’s first-ever Pride and Diversity March, which is set to be held next year.

The Redditch LGBTQ+ Support Service in Redditch met up before lockdown to discuss ideas to celebrate pride in the town.

The group has now announced that the groundwork is being laid out for the town's very own Pride and Diversity March which is planned to take place on June, 5 2021.

Borough Councillor Joe Baker, the chairperson of the group, told the Advertiser: “We want to promote our community here in Redditch.

“It seems that nothing has been done like this here in the town, so we thought we should really do something to celebrate the community.

“Given the size of the population, we thought we should have our own pride march.

“There’s enough people to get behind the event and support it here. We have just started planning the groundwork of it.”

“We are trying to encourage people of different faith groups to get on board and march with us.

“It’s a celebration of diversity in Redditch under the banner of a pride march.”

An organisation committee for the Pride and Diversity March has been set up, where community leaders will give advice and help to plan the event.

Inspector Lee Page voiced his support for the event on Twitter and said the Safer Neighbourhood Team in Redditch will "look forward to supporting the event and getting involved."

Cllr Baker also says the organisation group are hoping some celebrities will visit Redditch to join in with the celebrations.

He added: “It’s very important to say that it will be a non-political event run by the community for the community. It would be great for the community to come together.

“We’re in the early stages of it, but we are promising it will be an event to remember.”